Chapter 101: Nu Nu's Attempt to Lure Someone Ends in Disaster!

These days, how could they feel so real!

But thinking about these now is too late.

Du Shanü stood where she was, silent for a long while.

The attendant was still smiling apologetically, already prepared to be scolded——

Usually, these gentlemen out and about most hate hearing they lack money; eight or nine times out of ten they'd slam the table and curse him for looking down on people with dog eyes.

But he too came from a common poor family, merely working at the inn; how could he dare to oppose a guest?

Arrogant, overbearing people are ultimately few.

Most are just folk trying to get by.

The attendant nodded and bowed, his face somewhat stiff with smiling.

But Du Shanü did not scold as the attendant had expected.

She merely reached into her sleeve again, felt around, felt for a while, then pulled out a few larger copper coins——

Each was a fifty-cash big coin, worth far more than those small flat coins just now.

She laid these big coins on the counter, spacing them out one by one, laid five, thought a moment, then added one more:

"Are these enough?"

The attendant's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly:

"Enough, enough, enough for two days! I'll arrange the upstairs room for you, and have someone lead the horse to the rear courtyard, with fine feed."

"Please go upstairs and wait a moment; tea and food will be ready soon——"

He said, scooping up the pile of copper coins and big money on the counter, clattering them into the drawer, then took a copper key from the wall and handed it over with both hands.

Du Shanü bore the heartache and took the key, then turned and went upstairs.

The stairs were wooden, creaking with each step.

She walked ahead, Chinu followed behind; their footsteps sounded one after another, echoing in the narrow hallway.

The doors on both sides of the hallway were shut, a yellow glow seeping from the cracks; faint voices could be heard from other rooms, but the inn's soundproofing was decent, so it wasn't clear.

Du Shanü found the room corresponding to the key; just as she stepped over the threshold, the door behind her hadn't yet closed when a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind.

Chinu's arms encircled her waist, gripping tight—so tight her back pressed against his chest, through two layers of clothing she could feel his heart beating.

His chin rested in her shoulder's hollow, his nose buried in the damp hair at her neck; he drew a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, warm air puffing on the skin behind her ear, eliciting a fine ripple of tremor.

Du Shanü did not turn back, merely scanning the interior straight ahead.

The room wasn't large, but tidy, divided into an inner and outer small chamber.

No need to say, the inner chamber is likely for changing clothes.

The outer chamber held a simple bed frame, its blankets of blue-gray cotton, folded neat and square.

By the window stood a narrow table, bearing a teapot and teacups, the spout still steaming—evidently the attendant had prepared tea in advance......

Indeed, the expensive has its worth!

Du Shanü's feeling of being sliced like meat eased a little; she pushed at the clingy Chinu hanging on her back:

"Go change the medicine in the inner room first."

Chinu had his face buried beside her neck, lightly sniffing; hearing this, he couldn't hold back his resentment over the past two days, and said plaintively:

"You haven't seen or touched anything from last night......"

"Now it's just changing the medicine; do I still have to go to the inner room?"

Du Shanü truly hadn't realized she had married an ancestor back home.

But now that they'd shared skin, only the final step remained.

Even, now the sky has turned dark!

She definitely needs to be coaxed!!!

Du Shanü reached back and touched Chinu; he immediately placed his face obediently into her palm.

His face lay in her palm, skin cool, thin and delicate, the jawline lightly pressing against her fingertips.

His brows stretched into his temples, eyelashes curved downward.

The slight upward tilt at the corners of his eyes, now so gentle it was unreal, lacking its usual sharpness, left only a placid, utterly defenseless tameness.

Du Shanü's heart stirred slightly; she turned her head, her cheek brushing his nose bridge, and her lips naturally landed on the corner of his mouth.

Very light, like a dragonfly skimming water—touch and gone.

But just that, his arms around her waist tightened a few more degrees, tight enough that her ribs began to ache.

Du Shanü raised her hand and patted the back of his hand, her voice low, indulgent and languidly hoarse:

"Let go."

Chinu did not let go.

She patted again:

"Then take off your clothes."

Chinu's motion paused for a moment, then his hand slipped slightly from her waist, slid to her wrist, guiding her to turn and face him.

The lingering candlelight in the room flickered on his heaven-favored face, illuminating his brows and eyes in alternating light and shadow.

The gloom in his eyes had faded almost to invisibility, replaced by a gentleness, pliability, and...... after barely half-filling his stomach, a yearning to seek more.

They exchanged a glance; Du Shanü tilted her head toward the bed.

Chinu immediately obliged, unfastening his belt to reveal the smooth lines of his torso, anticipating favor.

But Du Shanü was utterly unsparing......

She began changing the medicine vigorously.

The old bandages unwound layer by layer, revealing the wound beneath that had begun to scab.

Although it rained today, because we had rain gear, the wound did not tear open again.

The new flesh was a tender red, with a thin pink scab forming around the edge; it had healed much more than when I first arrived at Daguan Village to pay respects, though it was still somewhat swollen.

She reached out, lightly pressing her fingertip against the edge of the wound.

Chinu's breath caught for a beat.

Although she knew she might be asking a foolish question, Du Shanü still spoke softly:

……Does it hurt?

Chinu had been waiting for exactly that, and immediately pressed further:

It hurts.

You need to coax me.

Du Shanü said nothing, merely lowering her head; her lips touched the wound beside his ribs, and she gave it a gentle suck.

After that sip, Chinu's abdominal muscles tightened suddenly.

Today's resentment that had been cast aside also vanished completely.

Du Shanü lifted her eyes to look at him; he was also lowering his head to look at her.

The candle flames danced; in those beautiful eyes lay a faint expectation, unease, and a kind of cautious, almost reverent longing.

Du Shanü still had no intention of taking advantage of his vulnerability to behave like a beast; thus she merely rewrapped the bandages round and round, then brought up a new topic:

"Life is hard, so while we're clear-headed we should discuss some steady official matters……"

"By the way, do you feel that the county magistrate from the earlier porridge shed looks somewhat familiar?"

"Good, good, good—what a fine idea to discuss steady official business!"

"What time is it now, and you're still thinking about discussing official business!"

"If not being emperor is like this now, once we become emperor won't we end up slumped over a pile of memorials?!"

"He, he longs for a formidable Wise Lord, but this Wise Lord can't possibly have everything be official business, can he?!"

Chinu was furious, but could only grit his teeth instinctively:

"I'd guess they're relatives of those two Southern Border folks back home."

"For this person to appear here now, handing out porridge to win over the populace, it seems they harbor disloyal intentions and also wish to rebel."

?? Shasha (in a rural voice): Is this enough?

? Shasha (in a future emperor's voice): Let's still talk about some official business……